Seven-Star hotel plans to attract luxury kenya holiday makers

Plans for a new ultimate luxury seven-star hotel in Nairobi have been backed by tourism officials who believe that the high end property will entice high end travellers, business people and celebrities to take Kenya holidays.

Titus Kangangi, the Coast branch chairman of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) believes that the new luxury Kenya hotel will attract high end wealthy visitors on Kenya holidays and help improve the country's image and reputation as a tourist destination.

Mr Kangangi said:

"It is welcome news that some investors are planning to put up a seven star hotel. Such facilities will raise the profile of our destination overseas. The hotel will come handy in providing higher standards for well-off tourists such as global top businessmen and celebrities in music and sports fraternities."

It is hoped that the new hotel will enable Nairobi to be perceived as a destination for quality tourists rather than its current reputation as a place for mass numbers of tourists on African safaris. Mr Kangangi hopes that the arrival of the new Kenya hotel will help put the region on the same level as the United Arab Emirates and Italy who currently have seven-star hotels.

Coast branch chairperson from KATO (the Kenya Association of Tour Operators), Monika Solanki, is also in support of the plans which could also help improve the standards of the local Kenya hotels.

Ms Solanki said:

"It is good news to us if investors establish a seven star hotel. Due to competition, hotel standards will go up as investors will take renovation of hotels seriously. The facility will also attract high quality tourists from all parts of the world. Revenue generated from tourism will go up."

However, not everyone is support of the addition to Kenya hotels. Alphaya Onyango, general manager of the Plaza Beach Hotel, believes that country's economy will struggle to sustain the high quality property as only a few top businessmen and celebrities take Kenya holidays each year.

"The country's economy is still low compared to United Arab Emirates which attract high ranking businessmen. It will be difficult for the hotel owners to fill their rooms with guests,"

Mr Onyango said.

"At one time, we used to have hotels in Nairobi which used to target the rich and mighty but later had to allow middle income earners so as to keep afloat. A seven star hotel will struggle to survive as many Kenyans cannot afford to pay for the hefty bills."